Longtime NFL veteran safety and special teams ace Nate Ebner signed a new contract with the New York Giants. As of this posting, the exact length and financial value of the contract is not available to the public. Ebner, a three-time Super Bowl champion and Olympic rugby player, spent the 2019 season with the New England Patriots.
The #Giants are bringing in a familiar face for coach Joe Judge, as former #Patriots special teams ace Nate Ebner is set to join NYG, source said. The ex-rugby star had been with New England since 2012.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 19, 2020
Nate Ebner, New York Giants, Agree To Terms
Bill Belichick special teams more than anything in this world, and Ebner was his usual reliable self for Belichick’s special teams unit. Ebner played 319 snaps during the 2019 season, with 318 of those coming on special teams. Thanks in large part to Ebner, the Patriots ended the year with the 11th-best special teams unit in football, per Football Outsiders. Interestingly enough, the safety by name only actually played one snap on offense, according to Pro Football Reference.
Ebner first entered the NFL as a sixth-round pick in the 2012 NFL Draft. Selected by the New England Patriots, Ebner defied the odds and managed to make the opening day roster right out of camp. Ebner immediately became a staple of the special teams unit and actually contributed on defense early in his career. However, once the Patriots acquired Aqib Talib at the 2012 trade deadline and moved Devin McCourty to safety, the vast majority of Ebner’s snaps came on special teams. He’s thrived in that role and earned two separate two-year extensions prior to his latest contract.
When he’s not playing football, Ebner is a world-class rugby star. Back in 2016, New England granted Ebner a leave of absence to try out for the United States national rugby sevens teams. Despite not playing the sport in quite some time, Ebner managed to qualify for the team and participate in the 2016 US Summer Olympics. The United States rugby team finished in ninth after a 24-19 loss to Fiji. Additionally, Ebner is also a partial owner of the New England Free Jacks, a minor league rugby team.
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